1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to sports practice cages, and, more particularly, to batting cages and golf practice cages.
2. Prior Art
In many sports in which a ball is thrown or struck, the player must normally have a large amount of space in which to practice. For example, in golf, a player who wants to practice his or her swing may go to a driving range. In another example, a young boy who wants to practice his baseball swing may set up a batting tee in a large yard and hit off the tee out into the yard. In each case, the player has to be outdoors and a large open space is required.
Occasionally the player may not have access to large outdoor areas such as playgrounds, fields, courses, or large residential yards. Even if the player has access to an adequate outdoor space, the player may not want the inconvenience of retrieving the ball from a long distance away from the player once the ball has been thrown or struck. In either case, players have resorted to the use of cages or backstops to contain the ball.
Various attempts have been made to provide portable backstops or cages. These devices are usually bulky, require extensive assembly, or are limited in utility to only one sport. What is needed is a device which will allow the player to practice a number of sports and which can be conveniently set up and taken down.